Axle housing



Aprii 1939- I R. H. WALLACE ET AL 2,153,287

AXLE HOUS ING Filed Feb. 27, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Passer H. WAMHOE Mylar flnvzwa/Mwze ATTORNEY April- 1939- v R. H. WALLACE ET AL 2,153,237

AXLE HOUS ING- Filed Feb. 27, 1936 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. II I Fa /55m" M rt 2446635 c5,

Y fax/Ear flzmzA x/i swzz ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 4, 1939 UNITED STATES AXLE HOUSING Robert H. Wallace and Ernest Riemenschneider, Lakewood, Ohio, assignors to The Midland Steel Products Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application February 2'7, 1936, Serial No. 66,081

3 Claims.

This invention relates to axle housings for automobiles and has for an object to provide an axle housing formed from; the most economical kind of stock.

An important object of our invention is to provide an axle housing composed of small sections, each of which can be machined in inexpensive machinery and can be easily handled.

Another object of the invention is to provide an axle housing having a banjo frame composed of two complementary stampin'gs formed from flat stock and welded together and two axlearms formed from tubular stock and welded to the banjo frame.

A further object of the invention is to provide an axle housing composed of a plurality of elements so sectioned and welded together as to enhance the strength of the axle housing tothe extent of making it possible to c'onstruct such housings from the lightest and most economical kind of stock. I

Another object of the invention is to provide an axle housing wherein access to the differential gears is solely through an opening com municating with a torque tube adapted to be connected to the banjo portion of the axle housmg.

A further object of the invention is to formv the axle arms in two sections welded together adjacent the wheel support. v

Other objects and advantages of: the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description. I I

In the accompanying drawings forxrlingv a part of the application and wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a rear elevational view of one embodiment of the invention, v p I Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, g

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional viewcorresponding substantially to the line 3'3 of Fig. 2, and also illustrates the axle housing connected to a torque tube,

Fig. 4 is an exploded view of the axle housing,

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of another embodiment of the axle arm,

Fig. 6 is a plan view of still another embodiment of our invention, A

Fig. '7 is a front elevational view of th'e'sa'me,

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a stamped blank forming one-half of the banjo section, and

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a stamped blank forming the other half of the banjo portion of the housing.

Referring to Figures 1 through 4, the numeral ill designates a rear axle housing comprising a banjo portion ll made up of two identical halfshell members I2 and I3 stamped and formed from flat stock and welded together along their meeting edges longitudinally of the axle housing, as indicated at M and the transverse ends of the half-shell members l2 and l 3 are welded as shown at I5, to identically constructed axle arms l6 and I1. These arms are preferably made from tubular welded or seamless stock, since the ends must be thickened and flanged to support the brake apron.

Since the half-shell members I2 and 13 are alike in all respects a description of only one half-shell member is necessary. The upper half shell member I2 is provided with a web section It, a convex section I 9 and an inwardly extending flange 20 which is reinforced by a split ring member 2| herein shown welded to the inner surface of the flange 20.

When the half shell members I2 and I3 are assembled together with their meeting edges 22 in alignment, the convex sections l9 form a dome-shaped member 23 which in conjunction with the web sections 18 provide an enlarged central chamber 24 adapted to accommodate the differential gears of an automobile. The reinforcing split ring sections 2| and flanges 20 cooperate to define a circular front opening 25 which is closed by a torque tube head 26 detach.- ably secured by means of screws 2 l', or other suitable means to the banjo portion of the axle housing. The half-shell members I2 and I3 taper 3,

down at both ends to form tubular end portions 28 which are butt welded transversely to the tubular axle arms l6 and IT, as indicated at l5.

The meeting edges 22 of the half-shell members l2 and 13 are butt or are welded together on opposite sides of the axle housing in a horizontal plane to constitute an integral construction. It will benoted that the dome-shaped member 23 forms an integral construction spanning the rear portion of the differential chamber 24 to thereby provides. very rigid banjo frame construction adapted to withstand the greatest stresses without the need of employing expensiveheavy gauge material or the addition of reinforcing means. Access is had to the gear chamber 24 only by removing the torque tube head 25' from the axle housing.

The outer ends of the axle arms l6 and l! are thickened by upsetting the tubular stock as indicated at 30, and terminate in annular thickened flanges 3| to which a brake apron may be attached.

From the foregoing it will be perceived that the integral bowed out section 23, at the rear of the banjo member, provides a very rigid axle housing and obviates the welding on of a separate convex hat or cover, thereby effecting a further saving of time and material.

The embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 5 comprises an apron supporting member 35 adapted to be secured to the axle housing described in the foregoing embodiment, and is herein shown having a reduced tubular end 36 telescopically arranged within an end of an axle arm 3! which is'provided with a tapered end 38 spaced from a beveled shoulder 39 of the apron support 35 to define a welding groove.

In order to weld the wheel support 35 to the axle arm 37, a metal ring 4!] is disposed between the tapered surfaces 38 and 39, the metal ring 45 being initially of the configuration shown in the dotted lines but which during the welding operations is melted down into the wedge shaped annular ring 41 so as to integrate the apron support 35 and axle arm 31 together. The reduced tubular end 35 of the support 35 may also be welded to the interior of the axle arm 31, as shown at 43. This apron support 35 is also provided with an annular flange 44 to which a brake apron is secured.

Referring now to Figures 6 through 9, the numeral 59 designates an axle housing comprising a banjo portion 5| and tubular axle arms 52 and 55. This banjo portion is composed of a rear section 54 and a front section 55. The rear section 54 is stamped from fiat stock and formed to provide an integral bowed out portion 56, flanges 5! and reduced semi-circular ends 58. The front section 55 is also stamped from flat stock and is formed toprovide an annular depending flange 59 defining an opening 60, flanges BI and reduced semi-circular ends 52. The annular flange 59 is reinforced by a reinforcing ring 63 herein shown welded at 54 to the outer surface of the flange 59.

The half sections 54 and 55 are joined together by are or butt welding the meeting edges 65 and 65 in a vertical plane as shown at 51. The assembled half sections define an enlarged central chamber 68 adapted to accommodate the difierential gears of an automobile, and also provide tubular extensions 59 and 10.

It will be noted that the bowed out portion 56 of the rear section spans the gear chamber 68 and since the bowed out portion 56 is formed from a single stamping, less costly material and lighter gauge metal may be employed without the addition of reinforcing means. Access is had to the gear chamber 68 only through the opening by removing a torque tube head (not shown) adapted to be detachably secured to the banjo portion by means of screws threaded in the openings l8.

Two methods of securing the axle arms to the banjo portion are herein shown, either one of which may be employed. The axle arm 53 is telescoped within the tubular end 10 of the banjo portion and is secured thereto by rivets H and a ring weld '12. If desired only the rivets or ring weld may be employed. As indicated at 13 the axle arm 52 is flash or butt welded to the other tubular end 59 of the banjo. The axle arms 52 and 53 are preferably made from tubular welded or seamless stock, since the ends must be thickened to supportthe brake aprons 15 which are welded thereto as shown at 16.

It will be perceived that the new and improved axle housing herein described is composed of a banjo frame stamped from fiat stock and two tubular axle arms, all of which contribute to re duce the cost of the equipment, labor and the material required toproduce the axle housing.

It will be understood that various changes in the size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. An axle housing composed of a pair of complementary half shell stampings formed from flat stock, one stamping having a dome shaped imperforate bowl intermediate its ends and a pair of oppositely extending arms of semi-circular section arranged in a plane different from that of the base of the bowl portion, the other stamping section having an enlarged intermediate annulus of L-shaped section with oppositely extending arms of semi-circular section arranged in a plane different than the base of the annulus, said half shell stampings tapering outwardly in opposite directions into the arms, said shell and arms being welded together along their meeting edges extending longitudinally of the housing and arranged in a plane parallel to that of the annulus to form. a closed dome-shaped banjo portion entirely closed with the exception of the opening provided by the annulus, the semi-circular arms forming tubular extensions from opposite sides of the banjo portion, and tubular axle arms butt-welded to the transverse ends of said tubular extensions, the seams of the last mentioned butt-welds extending at right angles to the seam of the housing, the axle housing being of uniform wall thickness from the banjo portion to and across the said butt-welds.

. 2. A pressed steel axle housing comprising a pair of complementaryhalf shell stampings, said stampings being formed into substantially U-shaped cross section with an enlarged central part gradually tapering out at each end into a smaller arm of U-section, said stampings being butt-welded together along their longitudinal edges to form a central hollow banjo portion tapering down at opposite sides into short tubular oppositely extending arms with the seam extending longitudinally of the housing, said banjo portion having its rear side extended rearwardly to form a closed dome-shaped extension, and tubular extensions butt-welded to said short tubular arms to com plete said housing and to form a pair of welds transversely of the welds securing the two stampings together, the axle housing being of uniform wall thickness from the banjo portion to and across the said butt-welds.

3. A pressed steel axle housing comprising a pair of complementary half shell stampings, said stampings being formed into substantially U- shaped cross section with an enlarged central part gradually tapering out at each end into a smaller arm of U-section, said stampings being butt-welded together along their longitudinal edges in a horizontal plane to form a central hollow banjo portion tapering out at opposite sides into short tubular oppositely extending arms with the seam extending longitudinally of the housing, said stampings forming the banjo portion having their rear sides formed into integral rearwardly convexedportions welded together to form a closed dome-shaped extension, and tubular extensions butt-welded to said short tubular arms to complete said housing and to form welds transversely of the welds securing the two stampings together, the axle housing being of uniform wall thickness from the banjo portion to and across the said butt-welds.

ROBERT H. WALLACE. ERNEST RIEMENSCHNEIDER. 

